Heartbreak hotel
by AriesBalorPrincess
Summary: Dealing with a failed relationship, the last things she expected over the holiday season was to fall for a single father, finding herself wrapped around the little girl's finger.


**Hey everyone, welcome to my Christmas one shot. If at any point it feels rushed, do know I didn't intend for that to happen but the plan had been for this to be a few chapters long, but in the midst of writing I changed it to a one shot. Onyx, Hank, Erin and Melody, belong to me and can't be used without my permission. Mikki, Dylan, Jeremy and Courtney all belong to KikiJuanita and you need to get her permission to use any of them.**

 **Mistakes are my own and I am sure there is a few scattered throughout, I did try to catch all of them, multiple times. However, Glee and the Glee characters used within all belong to RM. I mean no disrespect towards the characters or the show.**

 **Merry Christmas, Happy Holidays.**

 **Enjoy!**

* * *

"Are you going to come out?" Jeff asked, pushing the door to his guest room open, to look at his sister curled up on the bed, hugging a pillow to her chest. She shook her head, sniffling. "Onyx, there is a whole room of friends that want nothing more than to be there for you, if you let them be," he soothingly told her, moving into the room to sit on the edge of the bed.

"I know," she whispered, not trusting her voice, her throat feeling raw from the amount she had cried for the past few hours. One would think she had no tears left to cry. "I just...can't," she told him just as softly. She didn't want to see the pitying looks on their faces, she wanted to be left alone.

"I know it's rough, with him calling the wedding off and breaking it off with you. It's not easy, and I can't imagine the pain you're in over him deciding that he no longer loves you, and I am sorry about that, but sweetie," he paused, not really sure what he could say to make her feel better. "Want me to bring you a plate once the food is done?" He asked instead, deciding it best to leave it well enough alone. The best thing he could do is act like everything is okay, and let her come to him, when she needed her brother.

"That would be wonderful, Jeff," she agreed, pulling the pillow closer to her chest.

Jeff nodded walking to the door, turning to look at his sister. "If you're gonna be around for Christmas, want me to toss your name into the hat for the gift exchange?" He asked.

"I'll still be here, it's not like I have anywhere else to be," she told him venom to her voice. "Toss my name in, might be fun," she shrugged. She knew everyone out there well enough to get them the perfect gift, it wouldn't be any work at all.

"Noted," he nodded, walking to the door. "Want me to toss a potato in the oven for you?" He asked, knowing just how much she hated mashed potatoes.

"If it's not any trouble for you," she told him. She didn't want to put more on him as he is already making the whole dinner for everyone and she really didn't need any kind of potato, especially if it added more to his plate.

"Stab a potato, wrap it in aluminum foil and place it in the oven to bake. Yeah lots of trouble," he told her dryly.

"Dick," she laughed, tossing a pillow at his head. Jeff chuckled ducking out of the room.

Being left alone she decided the best way to pass the time is to watch a movie. The only movie of interest to her happened to be the Wizard of Oz. One of her favorite movies, and not because it terrified one of, if not her very best friend. As the movie started, she sighed to herself, thinking about how she ended up being heartbroken, just in time for the holiday season.

The last place she ever thought she would end up living is in her brother's guest room in his apartment. It wasn't like she wanted to intrude on his life. He didn't deserve that of her; he deserved to have his place to himself with his wife of the past 6 months. She, however, hadn't been expecting her boyfriend of 3 years to call of their wedding; a wedding they had slowly been planning for the summer. So, as horrible as the breakup had been, it could have been worse if he would have waited until the wedding to end things. And with their place really being his, she didn't feel right living there making him move out, so she left, finding solace in her brother's guest room, until she could find her own place. With having until Wednesday off, she had time once Monday rolled around to find a place of her own. So much for the holidays with her soon to be in-laws.

"Huh, as I live and breath," Sebastian laughed, pushing the door to the guest room open. "Almost didn't believe that you were here," he commented settling down on the bed next to her. "Really?" He groaned, looking at the TV seeing Dorothy in Oz.

"Where was I to go if not here?" She questioned, pushing pause on the movie, she could have been mean and let it play, but she wanted to watch the movie and not miss half of it because she is talking to Seb. Not that she would ever make him suffer through the movie, she wasn't that vindictive.

"Yeah, can't say," he chuckled. "Are you really going to stay in here and be such a downer when there is a party going on out there?" He questioned. "Come on, you know it's more fun out there than it will ever be in here," he coaxed her.

"You won't leave me alone if I stay in here, will you?" She asked with a defeated sigh, knowing the answer to that already.

"See this why we are best friends," he smirked, getting off the bed and waiting for her, before tossing his arm around her shoulder.

"I might seriously consider asking Santa for a new best friend," she teased, walking into the hall before he did.

"Ouch!" He exclaimed, holding his free hand over his heart. "You wound me," he replied.

"Now you know how I feel," she smirked. "Need help?" She asked, turning to her brother in the kitchen.

"Nah, I've got everything under control," he assured her. There wasn't much left to do. "How the heck did he make you leave the room?" Jeff questioned.

"He didn't leave me a choice," she shrugged, opening the fridge to get herself a glass of lemonade. "Where is everyone?" She asked, only seeing a few of their friends hanging out in the living room.

"A few had work and the others exchanged out to visit their significant others family," he shrugged, not wanting to dwell on that as his sister should have been elsewhere today. "Go enjoy yourself," he told her giving her a playful push to the living room.

"The lot of you are a bunch of furniture hogs," she laughed, walking into the living room, not seeing a single space to sit and the floor wasn't all that appealing to her.

"Here," Jeremy laughed, pulling her down onto his lap, where he sat in one of the oversized chairs. "Didn't think you'd be out here," he softly told her. "You need anything, you know I'm here for ya," he assured, pressing a soft kiss to her temple.

"Your doofus of a brother made me," she shrugged. "It might have been nice to wallow in pity for the day, and thanks," she smiled, making herself comfortable against him, tossing her legs over the arm of the chair.

"Can't say he's a doofus if he makes you come out and enjoy the day with your family," Jeremy smiled. "And don't be all smug over there Sebby, because I praised you," he teased his younger brother.

"Are we missing something?" A guy she had never met before asked looking all sorts of confused at the scene in front of him. "You're not in the process of getting a divorce are you?" He asked. He worked with Jeremy and Jeff. Being new in town for the past five months, he grew a close bond of friendship with both men, had dinner with Jeremy and his family several times in the past few months, same with Jeff. But yet, this is the first time he ever saw as he had yet to officially meet the woman sitting on Jeremy's lap.

"I know you're not getting a divorce because I had just hang out with Karen before she got the emergency call. So what is going on?" Mikki questioned, not finding it as amusing as her husband found it to be. She thought she knew everything when it came to Jeremy and Onyx, as she has known them both for years now, you don't meet your now husband's family without meeting the best friend in the same night.

"I don't have time to cheat, so you can stop thinking like that," Jeremy stated, looking around the room. Most of them already knew how the story went as they had been there through it. "We're not getting a divorce, we're actually talking about expanding our family," he smiled, recalling the many conversations in the past month alone.

"Adoption?" Onyx questioned, looking at him. Jeremy nodded, a goofy grin on his face.

"Yeah." After the birth of his son, there had been complications, leaving them not able to conceive anymore kids. Surrogacy had been an option they talked about, but in the end with the kids in the foster system, they decide to adopt a child.

"That's amazing," Seb told his brother.

"Yeah, but we haven't told anyone, as we just started the process and it's gonna take a while before we get approved to adopt, so it would be cool if we kept it to this room only," Jeremy stated, giving everyone tiny glares.

"Got it," Blaine laughed. "But you might want to explain the situation there," he started to say, his eyes moving around the room to take in the confused and the downright amused looks on his friends faces over one small action they had all seen in the past. "Ya know, before those two get the wrong ideas," he laughed. "Just a thought," he shrugged.

"I don't think we've ever gotten the fully story, either," Nick thought out loud, raising an eyebrow to challenge his friends.

"We dated in high school," Jeremy started to explain. "I was in my Junior year and she was a freshmen and our lockers were next to each other, so we talked, became friends, I asked her out. We dated for 6 months," he finished.

"Around the second month of dating I met his family. Became instant friends with Seb," she smirked, the events seeming like they happened days ago and not years ago. I didn't get to remain friends with Seb, like we had been in elementary school," Onyx tacked on, since Jeremy wasn't going to do so.

"I went to an all boys private school, Jeremy didn't even want to try to apply, we all know he would have gotten himself kicked out," Seb laughed. He didn't even know that he wanted to go to a private school, but after the offer was in front of him and he thought about it, he couldn't pass the chance up. "Jeremy got jealous and started to believe that I wanted to date Onyx, when that was never the case," Seb laughed.

"That was never the reason we broke up," Jeremy stated aghast. "After six months together we came to realize that we were better off as friends and we have remained good friends. We remained close because we didn't let any of the BS of being exes get in the way of what we already built before dating."

"Friend's that can do stuff like this and Karen knows and it doesn't bother her these days," Onyx shared. She had limited the amount of things she did with Jeremy when he first got together with Karen. It hadn't taken her that long to be comfortable with the closeness they had. "My friendship with Jeremy is the same friendship that I have with Seb," she said.

"I don't know if our friendship is the same," Jeremy smirked. Onyx nodded telling him that it is the same. "You're telling me that you hooked up with him?" He questioned. "Because that's kinda gross, don't even try to tell me that you hooked up with Dylan as well, for the trifecta effect," he teased. She rolled her eyes at him, not above slapping her hand over his mouth to get him to shut up.

"Well no," she said, giving Jeremy a look to shut up. No one needed to know that story, since it took place after high school, years afterwards. "Nothing against you Seb or Dylan for that matter, but I wouldn't do that, ever, or even think about it. Hooking up with you wasn't planned either," she stressed. Friends at a bar, sulking into alcohol, because of loneliness and other things. It meant nothing and it was a one time thing.

"Can we not discuss this?" Jeff questioned from the kitchen. He really didn't want to be hearing about what friends that his sister happened to have hooked up with at one point or another.

"We can all agree with that," Onyx nodded.

"Then we can talk about what you're getting me for Christmas," Jeremy laughed.

"Nothing," Onyx told him. "I am gonna spend the extra money I would have used for your gift for your kids," she teased him. "And if I get your name in the drawing I'm tossing it back," she remarked, joking around with him, as she had already bought his present a few weeks ago, as a matter of fact she bought most everyone something already.

"You're kinda mean and hurtful," Jeremy pouted.

"It's a no wonder we never worked out," she smiled sweetly.

"You two didn't work because he got jealous thinking his little brother was stealing his girlfriend," Seb laughed.

"Haha," Jeremy mocked. "Laugh it up."

"Onyx, for the love of my sanity, would you go answer your phone, it won't stop ringing," Jeff cursed.

"Yeah, yeah, I'll either answer it or silence it," she muttered, getting off Jeremy's lap to check her phone to see who was calling non-stop. "Shit!" She cursed, seeing the text on her screen, she didn't even need to listen to the voicemail left. She could have sent a message back saying sorry, but she couldn't do that.

"Where are you going?" Jeff asked, seeing his sister emerge in jeans and a flowy top and not the sweats and tee she had been wearing.

"A friend is having an emergency. I wouldn't leave, but it's important and I know most the night is going to be spent in the waiting room, but I can't not go and give him comfort while he waits for answers," she explained. "Save me a plate and draw for me, as it might be a long night," she told him. Before leaving she said her goodbyes to the room filled with friends or more like family.

* * *

"You just get in?" Jeff asked, stepping into the kitchen to get some much-needed caffeine from the newly brewed pot of coffee.

"Yeah," she sighed, poking at her cereal, trying her hardest to stay awake long enough to get some sort of food into her stomach. "Didn't want to leave him until I knew he was going to be okay," she sighed, having a great deal of pain over the situation, wanting the answers that everything was going to be okay.

"The apartment is yours as I need to do things around town now that the morning Black Friday sales have ended," he informed her. "There's a good chance that I won't be seeing you until tomorrow," he let her know.

"Dude, with as tired as I am I wouldn't even notice if you suddenly started a band and practiced in the living room," she retorted, containing a yawn. Working night shifts left her feeling dead on her feet, but not quite like this, not only was she tired, but she was emotionally drained as well.

"Good to know," he laughed. "Enjoy your rest," he told her, taking a travel mug of coffee with him. "Call if you need anything," he said, checking he had everything before leaving his home.

With her cereal turning to mush in the bowl, she dumped it out, wanting her bed more than she wanted food. With the bowl sitting in the sink rinsed out, she headed straight to her room, collapsing on top of the covers, no longer fighting her eyelids to stay open.

She didn't know if it was hours later or minutes later when she woke up to the shrill sounds of her cell ringing, thinking it is time to change the ringtone on her phone.

"What do you want?" She asked, her eyes remaining closed, not bothering to check who happened to be calling her. Because frankly it didn't matter, she would be back to sleep once she got off the phone anyway.

"A favor," her brother sighed. "I know you need your sleep," he started to say knowing how very little sleep she has been getting over the last few days and he hated to call her and ask her of this favor, but he didn't know who else to call.

"What kind of favor?" She asked, struggling to sit up, slowly opening her eyes, trying to get them to adjust of the full afternoon sun.

"I promised a friend that I would watch his daughter, as we were supposed to be working two different shifts, but I got called in and I don't know who else to call," he explained to her, walking around his friend's apartment to collect everything she would need for the day plus some. "The daycare he takes her to is closed and I am in a bind, Onyx, please can you watch her?" He asked, close to begging his sister for her help here.

"Okay, fine, I'll watch her," she caved, pushing herself out of bed. "Where do I need to go?" She asked, walking to her closest to find something to wear.

"I'll bring her and what she needs to you," he told her. He would fill her in on the rest of it once he got home as he needed to get ready for work, now that he was called in to start his shift early.

"Okay," she said, hanging the phone up. Tossing her cell on her bed, she grabbed what she needed for a quick shower and clean clothes to wear, not knowing how soon her brother would be there.

By the time she finished getting her hair put up, because she knew all about little kids and hair pulling. She frowned for a second because she hadn't asked how old the little girl happened to be, but she wasn't left waiting long for that answer when she heard Jeff enter the apartment.

"Everything she needs is in the diaper bag or the backpack, she's working on being potty trained, we haven't had lunch, think you handle that?" He asked, ready to get himself ready for work.

"I can handle that," she nodded. "But you uh gonna tell me what her name is?" She asked amused, watching the toddler playing with some sort of doll in the middle of the living room.

"Right," Jeff nodded, picking the little girl up. "Sweetie this Onyx," he said softly, pointing to Onyx. "This little one," Jeff started to say, tickling the little girls tummy. "Is Melody. Mel for short," he let his sister know.

"Hi, sweetie," Onyx smiled, holding her hands out for the little girl. She easily went, Jeff assuring her it was okay.

"You good?" He asked, taking a step back.

"Yep," she nodded, walking to the couch. "What should we do, Mel?" Onyx asked, thinking of things they could do to waste the day away.

"Ark?" She asked with a big smile.

"We can go to the park later," Onyx told the little girl turning the TV on to wait on Jeff to finish getting ready. She put on an episode of Mickey Mouse Clubhouse getting excited screeches of Mickey.

"Emergency numbers just in case," Jeff told her placing the paper with the few numbers on the counter. "Clint, will be by after his shift tonight to get her, I'll have him message you or call you when he's on his way," Jeff rambled out.

"Tell him to go home and have a full night of sleep and I can bring his little girl to him in the morning when he wakes up," Onyx told him, seeing no problem in keeping the little one for the night. "If he's okay with that," she tacked on, not wanting to step over a line.

"I can pass the message on but I don't know how he will feel about it," Jeff replied.

"Understood," she nodded. "So Clint?" She asked. Jeff looked at her waiting for her to say more as he is lost on what she is going on about. "Who he is?" She asked. She knew nothing about the guy and in whatever sort of twist you want to call it, she got his name for the gift exchange and she couldn't get him something if she didn't know anything about him.

"He moved to town a few months ago, needed a friend. The rest, the questions you want answers for, you gotta take that up with him, okay?" Jeff questioned, making for the door.

"Okay," she told him, going back to the couch and Melody. She cuddled with the little girl as Mickey and the gang went about on their adventure all while Pete tried to trick them. She turned the TV off once the Hot Dog dance finished. "Hungry?" She asked the little girl. Her pout turning into a smile and a nod.

"Happy?"

"I think getting you a Happy meal is doable," she laughed. "Let's get ready shall we?" She asked, Mel giving her a nod, ready to help out in any way that she could.

With not having a car seat for Melody, they walked the two and a half blocks to McDonald's, eating in the play place area so Mel could play while they waited for their food, plus some extra minutes when she pouted to play a bit longer promising she would come and eat her food like the good little girl she is. After Mel got full from her nuggets, fries and the apple slices she wanted over the other options, Onyx asked her if she wanted to play there or at the park. The park easily won out.

Making sure she kept an eye on the little girl, playing on the small slide, she pulled her phone out having heard it go off minutes ago, she hadn't been able to check it until now.

 **Thank you! Jeff explained everything to me, and as much as it would be nice to have a night to myself, I feel better having Mel at home. Again Thank you for watching my little girl, I owe you. -Clint**

 _Dude, you don't owe me anything._ She quickly typed out, making sure Mel was still within sight. Smiling as she took a small video of her playing at the empty park. _She's no trouble at all and such a delight. I understand, hard to trust a person you don't even know with someone as precious as your little girl. You're welcome and I am happy to watch her anytime you need someone._ She sent the video along with the message.

"Nex," Melody mumbled, walking up to her rubbing her eye.

"Ready to go?" She asked the little girl. Melody nodded her head. "Want to say hi to your daddy?" She asked, catching the contagious smile the little girl wore.

 **Still means a lot that you're doing this for me, when you don't even know me. It's really nothing against you, but she's my life. And let me owe you for this, then next time, not so much. Thanks for the vid of her having fun. Brightens my day.**

 _I don't have kids so I don't know what it's like to be away from them. And I know enough about you through being friends with my brother and the rest of my friends. If you can be friends with Jeremy, I applaud you and know that you are an alright guy. And really how can I say no to this face? She sent snapping a picture of a grinnin_ g Mel to send along with it. _If you have a break coming up or are on one, feel free to FaceTime. Don't ever think you owe me for helping you out. My days are free anyway._

"Daddy?" She asked with big pleading eyes.

"We have to wait to see if he has the time for a little chat, okay?" She asked, handing Mel one of the boxes of apple juices they packed.

 **It's hard, especially when you're a single father. Jeremy isn't all bad and you were the one to date him, if I remember correctly from yesterday before you made a mad dash outta the place. I could use one of my little girl's smiles, got a break in about 15-20 minutes. I'll keep that in mind, never know when an emergency comes up.**

 _Yep, you never know. And you remembered correctly, granted it was in high school. But Jere isn't that bad of a guy. A good friend of mine, his dad was in the hospital, had a heart attack. All is good though. We'll be waiting._ With the message sent, she stuffed her phone in her pocket.

"By the time we get back to the apartment your daddy should be calling," she informed Mel, picking everything up. "Do you need to use the potty?" She questioned. She did use the restroom at McDonald's, so she wasn't sure if she needed the bathroom again.

"No," she said, shaking her head, her little brunette pigtails flying through the air as she did so.

"Okay," Onyx nodded, picking up the little girl as she held her arms out to be carried.

The walk to the apartment was somewhat of a quick walk. Melody pointing things out on the way. All while she tried to figure out which one yesterday had been Clint and the only outcome is that there was one left there that she didn't know and well if he was there, then the bald-headed, very good-looking guy would be the father to the little girl in her arms.

Getting into the apartment, she placed Mel down, and she ran off to play with the toys they left on the floor. She went about and got things put back where they went. Walking to the couch she pulled her phone out seeing a message from Clint.

Sorry to hear, glad he's okay. Jere is a nice guy behind all that façade he has as a front. I best get back to work.

She smiled placing her phone on the coffee table seeing that she had enough charge until after he called. While she waited on Clint's break, she moved to the floor to play with Melody.

The phone ringing while she crawled around the floor as a tickle monster to the delightful sounds of giggles from the little girl, that startled the both of them.

"Mel, sweetie, your daddy is calling," she smiled answering the call so father and daughter can see each other.

With the toddler busy and her attention focused on her father, it gave Onyx the time to clean up from the small mess they had made all while keeping an eye on Melody as she rattled on about the adventures the day held for her thus far.

"What are your plans for the rest of your day, little miss?" Clint asked his daughter, amusement laced through his tone.

"I no no," Mel shrugged, scrunching her face up.

"We're gonna have a snack and I'm going to tell the story of Melody and her 7 little duckies," Onyx answered, bopping the little girl on the nose, as she got into a view.

"I have a feeling you'll need to be telling me that story," Clint chuckled.

"Oh no, it changes every time it's told, that's the fun part of the story," she replied.

"Is it now?" He questioned. Onyx gave him a nod. She did the same for Jeremy and Dylan's kids when she watched them and they loved the stories. "Thank you again for watching her."

"You're going a bit overboard with the thank you's. I've been having fun maybe not as much fun as this one," she commented, pulling Melody onto her lap where they sat on the floor. "But you are welcome," she told him.

"Okay, I got it," he laughed. He couldn't promise he wouldn't say thank you at least one more time, when he does go to pick his daughter up. "Bye, sweetie, I gotta get back to work," he sighed, blowing a kiss to his daughter.

"Bye daddy," Melody sadly told him, sending her own kisses before the call ended.

"What should we have for a snack?" She asked, placing Mel on her feet, getting up herself, placing her phone on the spare charger in the kitchen as they raided the cupboards and fridge.

They decided on apples, crackers and cheese while they got some juice to drink, taking their snack to the couch. Onyx jumping right into the story of Melody and her 7 little Duckies. By the time she got half way into the story, where Mel and Sven the shy ducky went for a swim in the pond when Melody curled up in her lap and passed out from the exhaustion of the day they had so far. It took very little effort to move to lay down on the couch, her own eyes having a hard time staying open.

She really wasn't sure how long they had slept for but she woke to little sobs and a wet spot on her stomach.

"It's okay, sweetie, accidents happen," she soothed, running a hand over the little girls back, softly kissing her head. "Let's get you cleaned up, huh?" She asked, maneuvering to get up keeping the little girl in her arms, walking to the bathroom to get the water started in the tub making sure the water was luke warm.

While the tub filled with water, she walked to her room holding onto Mel, so she could get a new shirt. She grabbed a tank top, walking back across the hall to see that tub had plenty of water she turned the hot and cold water off, sitting on the edge of the tub she placed Melody on the floor to get her ready for her bath. With Melody splashing about in the tub she found the basket of toys in the corner from when Jeff and Courtney watched their friend's children. With Melody giggling about in the water she changed her shirt, using a washcloth to wash her stomach off.

After the bath, which Melody played in till the water started to turn cold on her, Onyx got her dressed and together they took some clothes and Melody's soiled clothes mixed in to the laundry room in the apartment complex to get washed.

Their afternoon was filled with coloring books and laundry. When they came back from getting the basket of clean clothes, Mel running ahead of her. She hung back hearing the delighted screams of daddy. Watching as Clint turned around the frown and worry lines on his face disappearing once he had his little girl in his arms spinning around to the sound of giggles filling the hallway.

"Sorry, we had an accident," she explained once he caught sight of her, giving the small basket in her hands a lift. "Didn't mean to scare you," she told him, moving the basket to hold against her side as she unlocked the door. She ushered them inside first. She placed the basket next to the couch, to fold them later.

"No worries now," he told her, placing his squirming daughter down so she could get back to coloring her picture. "I know you don't want to hear it but thank you for today," he told her a smile tugging at his lips, a smile she recuperated.

"You're welcome and really it's been a fun day," she told him, leaning against the arm of the couch. "And you don't owe me for today," she tacked on.

"How about I repay you for today by taking you out to dinner," he offered. "If you're not busy," he quickly added on not knowing what her plans are for the night happened to be.

"I'd like that," she nodded.

They had ended up at a little family owned restaurant, where most of them, workers and dinners alike knew Clint and Melody.

"Someone's mighty popular," she teased looking the menu over.

"It's close to our place and nights that I am too tired to cook, we come here," he shrugged, looking a bit guilty in not making a home cooked meal nightly for him and his daughter.

"Growing up I lived at friend's houses at dinner time, it was that or eat whatever leftovers happened to be in the fridge by the time my parents got home closer to the morning hours than late evening hours," she shrugged. "You're there for her so that counts for everything," she told him.

"I wish I could be there more often, but it's tough," he told her quietly, leaning over his daughter to figure out what she wanted to eat.

Sure she had Jeff until he went off to college, but depending on your brother isn't the same thing as your parents being parents. Once while she grew up she had wished they put their jobs second to her. Holidays were the only times they had done so, that is what she loved about the holidays so much. Any other times of the year, it would have been nice to see them so tender, loving and caring as Clint is with Melody.

"Why the sudden change in life?" She asked, placing her menu down and taking a sip of her iced tea.

"Something I needed to do for me," he nodded. Onyx understood not wanting to talk about something. "And I do want to apologise for thinking that you were sleeping with Jeremy, I honestly didn't know who you were," he told her. Onyx placed her hand on top of his and something about that small contact felt right.

"Plenty of people think like that when they see the way that I act around Jeremy, we just are that close, but I would never do anything to ruin what he has with Karen, I even scaled back the way I acted with Jere for Karen's sake when they started to date and now she's okay with that. But you have nothing to be sorry about," she told him, with a soft smile.

"What if you started to date someone and he didn't like the way you acted, like sitting on another guys lap?" He asked more out of curiosity than anything else.

"I am not going to change the way I am around my friends for anyone, I would cut back an extent to make him feel more comfortable and why would I need to sit on anyone's lap when I have his to sit on?" She questioned him.

"What if he's not sitting down?" He retorted.

"Then he needs to understand that anyone else is just a friend and the only guy I want is him," she shrugged in response. "Why you got a problem with it?" She asked, raising an eyebrow.

"Can't say I do," he chuckled. "But I am not dating you," he told her.

"We can change that at any point," she remarked. What time she had spent with him she enjoyed and she wouldn't mind dating him, she knew Melody was part of the package and that she would always come first, she didn't mind that fact one bit.

"Can we, though?" He questioned.

The waiter took that moment to walk up to them, to get their order. And it did give her a few extra minutes to clearly think of her answer instead of saying the first thing that came to mind. Yes, yesterday she had been in bed crying over what she lost, but it wasn't so much of him as what they had built together. She loved him greatly, don't get her wrong, but the love they shared didn't last.

"It's just that I heard about the break up you went through and that has to be hard," he said, once they were once more left to themselves. "And I can't afford to be in anything other than a relationship that's going to be serious, because I have my daughter to think about."

"I get that and I admire that about you," she softly told him, glancing over at Melody. "And what makes you think that I don't want to do serious?" She asked him. "If it's because I got out of a very serious relationship, don't even think that. Yeah, I've been pretty down but I spent three years with him, but everything happens for one reason or another and I can see now that it would have never worked out because the love to make a marriage work just wasn't there," she explained to him.

"And you're over your ex?" He checked. He couldn't let himself fall again for it to go sour because she didn't want it. He loved his daughter and he wouldn't trade her for anything, but the situation in which she was brought into the world, that is one he would like to change greatly.

"A person can only wallow in their pity for so long before deciding it's time to move on and well I don't do casual so having a rebound is out of the question," she informed him. "I am always going to love him, but that's true of anyone that we have loved in the past. And if we don't work out, that be ok too, it doesn't have to be the end of anything," she told him, smiling once their food was placed in front of them. "But I do get your reservations about jumping into a relationship," she said, digging into her food.

That night like many more to follow it, saw plenty of laughter between them, as they got to know each other as friends, free time over the past two weeks were spent with the other. Onyx watching Melody a few times a week getting highly attached to the little girl and vice versa, Clint learning that the hard way one night with Melody feeling a bit under the weather.

"I," the little girl sobbed, "Nex," she cried, in her dad's arms, as he paced the floor, rubbing her back, trying to calm her down.

"I know you want Onyx, baby, but she's working," he repeated for the umpteenth time. They had video chatted on her break when she woke in the middle of the night. He was tempted to text her and have her just come over to his place to help get his daughter back to sleep.

"NO!" Melody screamed, her tears coming faster and harder. "Nex."

Not wanting his little girl to cry herself any sicker than she already is, he pulled out his phone when there was a knock on his front door. He frowned not knowing what crazy or drunk person happened upon his place.

"What are you doing here?" He asked, pleasantly surprised to see Onyx on the other side of his front door. "Sweetie look," he soothingly told his daughter, getting her to lift her head from his chest to see Onyx.

"Hey sweetie," Onyx cooed, easily taking the now silent toddler into her arms, going to get her face washed up and try to settle the little girl down enough to get her to take her medicine as Clint had a hard time in trying to get her to take her medicine. "A little girl needed me," she replied, heading upstairs, to get said girl taken care of and back into bed to get some more sleep.

Clint chuckled softly as he moved around downstairs getting the door locked and the lights turned off as he too headed upstairs. He tried to keep himself busy in his room keeping an ear out for his daughter to be asleep and for Onyx to try to make her way back downstairs, but that wasn't going to happen tonight. He couldn't in good conscience let her drive home when she had to be tired. He ran out of things to do and he found himself standing right outside his daughter's bedroom door, a smile ghosting across his lips hearing the soft lullaby coming from within the four walls.

"She's out," Onyx spoke softly, not wanting to wake the sleeping child. Seeing Clint standing in the hallway didn't shock her. Clint nodded, holding his hand out for her, not needing to say a single word. "You sure?" She questioned, taking his hand. She's spent the night at his house a few times, but those night she slept on his couch not wanting to push him into anything.

"Positive," he smiled, giving her a hand a squeeze, leading her into his room. He dropped her hand to go to his dresser to pull out a tee-shirt for her to wear to bed considering the circumstances of her impromptu visit.

"Thanks," she smiled, walking to his ensuite bathroom. Her smile turned into a grin seeing the new toothbrush sitting on the counter. "This for me?" She asked, pulling the bathroom door open, after changing into his shirt, her clothes folded sitting on the little stand in the bathroom.

"Uh yeah," he informed her, already under the covers, leaning back against the headboard of his bed.

With that information, she stepped back to brush her teeth; Clint already brushing his while she had been getting Melody calmed down and back to sleep.

"Fair warning," she started to tell him, flipping the bathroom light off as she walked to his bed. "I love to cuddle and steal the whole blanket just to toss it off the bed once I get too hot," she smirked, getting under the covers, and moving into his arms that he held out for her.

"I think I can manage," he chuckled lightly, pressing a kiss to her head, settling himself into bed and the feeling of sleeping with another person, settled deep within him, letting sleep came easy for the both of them.

* * *

With the amount of time Onyx has spent with Clint and Melody she knew exactly what to get Clint for Christmas. She even took Melody with her, helping the little girl pick a present out for her daddy. The present wasn't wrapped the best at all, as you could clearly tell that a 2 and half-year old had her hand in wrapping it. Both presents under the tree at Jeff's. She did add a few presents for Melody under the tree at Clint's house.

"Where's your mini me?" Onyx asked, after entering Clint's house. Not much more happened between them after she had spent the night in his bed, as disappointing as it is, she didn't want to rush and screw things up so she was okay in taking things slow for the time being.

"Her grandparents came to town and wanted the night with her since it's Christmas Eve," he explained. Melody's mother may have been out of her life since the day she was born but her grandparents on her mom's side stayed in touch, and sent things for their granddaughter, not wanting to miss out on her life, and Clint wasn't going to keep Melody from them. "I'll pick her up before going to your brother's Christmas party/dinner," he let her know.

"That's good," Onyx smiled, finally taking in the set up around her. "You having a date, here?" She asked, raising an eyebrow, seeing the table set for two with two dinner candles in the middle of the table.

"If you so kindly want to be my date tonight?" He questioned, holding his arm out for her. She smiled slipping her hand into the crook of his elbow.

"Did you really make this?" She asked taking a bite of the stir fry, moaning at the delightful taste assaulting her taste buds.

"Yes," he laughed. "How many times do you have to ask me that?" He questioned.

"As many as it takes," she replied, taking a sip of her wine.

"So it'll be an all night thing," he teased, cringing at the way his words came out. "Were you this persistent growing up?" He asked, covering up the innuendo in his words.

"No," she replied shaking her head. "A great part of growing up was done so in silence, minding my own business, sort of way. It wasn't until like 8th grade where I started to question everything around me and I wouldn't take a simple answer for any question I had. I got tired of my brother sticking up for me, he can't solve all of my problems," she shrugged.

"I was a jerk," he shared. "I didn't have a brother or a sister to look out for or one to look out for me and I let everything go to my head and I was the number one bully at school. I've made amends since than, and I am not proud of the way I acted and I don't want Mel to be a bully or be bullied," he told her with a frown.

"Sadly it's not that easy, but she has you to be there for her when she needs the support," Onyx tried to assure him. "If you're lucky, she'll be the one to stick up for those being bullied."

"Maybe," he nodded. "Do you have work tonight?" He asked, glancing at the clock to see if dinner plans were going to be cut short.

"No," she told him. "Relax," she said, placing a hand on his arm. "I work tomorrow night," she shared. It may be Christmas night but animals didn't know that and it wasn't like she had any plans as Christmas dinner was early enough into the evening that she wouldn't miss anything. "My only plans are to be here with you."

"Yeah?" He asked with a smirk.

"I mean you were the one to say it will be an all night thing," she winked.

"I can make that work," he teased, taking their dirty plates to the sink. Onyx behind him to help wash them up. "You don't have to help," he told her, knowing it was a lost cause as she always helped him clean up after putting Melody to bed, before leaving for work.

"Would you stop with that?" She asked, lightly bumping his hip. "I know I don't have to, but I want to," she smiled.

They made a bigger mess with the water than one should while washing dishes. Clint lending Onyx a shirt to wear while hers dried. With dry clothes on they cuddled on the couch, sharing laughs and small touches.

"I was told by a few people who you love cheesecake," he informed her, chuckling at the amount of times Jeff and Jeremy told him that bit of information over the last week.

"Did you buy it or make it?" She questioned.

"You won't believe me if I tell you that I made it," he teased, getting up and giving a helping hand to pull Onyx to her feet.

"Oh I will, I take my cheesecake very seriously," she remarked. Clint raised an eyebrow, amused with her. "I take cheesecake very serious, like I take my relationships," she told him, pulling him to a stop. "I want you to know that whatever you decide, I'll be okay with it," she told him.

"What I want," he paused, resting his hands on her hips. "Is right here," he whispered, skimming his lips across hers. "And I believe we should take this upstairs," he suggested.

"I conquer," she smiled, leading him up to his room.

* * *

Clint groaned, rolling onto his back to grab his phone. "Hello?" He asked half asleep, his eyes snapping open, hearing his daughter's cries in the background.

"We've tried to get her back to sleep but she doesn't want us," Hank sighed into the phone. He doesn't get to see his granddaughter very often, so cutting their night short wasn't a pleasant feeling to have. But he didn't want Melody to get sick from crying all night.

"I'm on my way," he said, sitting up, careful not to disturb a sleeping Onyx, the soft skin of her back highlighted by the moon shining in through the window.

"Before you get here, you should know that she's been crying for her mama," Hank sighed, not even knowing what to do with that information, as his daughter wanted nothing to do with the girl she left, didn't even care to look at the pictures they have of her.

For a second Clint felt dread line his stomach, until he heard Onyx shift in her sleep, the blanket moving lower down her body, revealing more soft skin to his eyes.

"I've got it covered," he smiled. "I'll be there shortly," he informed Hank, hanging up.

Clint knew at some point with the amount of time Onyx has spent with them that Melody would pull out one of the many forms of mom, referring to Onyx. He prepared himself the best he could and he figured it wouldn't be a pleasant feeling to have, but it was the opposite, as he liked the idea, and it did fill him with a warmth he's never experienced before. He wanted his daughter to have a mom, and he didn't know what would happen with Onyx in the future he knew for certain she wouldn't ever leave Melody, no matter how awkward things could end up being if they didn't work out. That was a problem to worry about another day as he needed to wake Onyx up and get his daughter.

"Let me sleep," she mumbled, reaching for the blanket to pull it over her head.

"I would, but a little girl is crying for her Mama, so you see I need to get mama to the little girl," he whispered, kissing her temple. "So wake up mama," he chuckled, watching her eyes shoot open, the room not light enough to see the emotions swimming in the depth of her eyes.

"I'm mama?" She whispered. "And you're okay with her calling me mama?" She asked, her voice cracking as she spoke, overwhelmed at the prospect of Melody crying for her mama, referring to her.

"I'm fine with it, are you?" He checked. "Because if not we can…" His words got stuck in the kiss she pulled him into, putting her emotions of being called mama behind the movement of their lips moving together.

"Let's go get our daughter," she smiled, breaking the kiss.

"First, let's find you some clothes," he chuckled, kissing her forehead, her nose, than finally pressing a soft kiss to her lips.

She smiled, getting up to find clothes as she didn't want to leave his house let alone his room in nothing more than her birthday suit.

With a fast asleep Melody in her arms, while Clint apologized to Hank and Erin, grabbing his daughter's stuff. He felt horrible for the abrupt end to their visit with their granddaughter. Until Onyx came up with a plan that worked for them all.

"Stop by the house and having Christmas morning with us and with Melody. Presents and breakfast," she suggested, hoping beyond everything that she hadn't overstepped any bounds.

"That would be lovely," Erin said. "But we don't want to intrude."

"Nonsense, you're family, we'll be up around 7, come anytime after that," Clint invited them over, wanting them to make the most of their time in the city.

"We'll be there," Hank smiled.

With everything sorted they left to get Melody home in her bed. Clint dragging Onyx back to his bed. As he too had a few presents under his tree with her name on them, a few from Melody and one from him.

* * *

Their morning had been fun and one Melody enjoyed. A Christmas morning that went by super fast. With Melody's belongs and what Clint had at the house that he needed to be taking in the car. With some tearful goodbyes when Hank and Erin left, they too headed out.

"Does this mean my present is better?" Jeremy smirked, examining the present Onyx handed to him. His having been thicker and heavier than the others.

"Maybe," Onyx smirked, giving the last present in her hands to Clint. "Or maybe it's the worst," she shrugged. "But either way you need to open it to find out," she pointed out.

"Finally," Dylan laughed, flipping through one of the books on his lap, Brooke looking through the book with her husband.

"Now we can finally get the story right," Brooke laughed. "Thanks, Onyx," she smiled.

"You're welcome, figured you could use a hand in the story telling. Though I don't know how you couldn't get the story right," she laughed. "It is never the same story twice."

"Is this the moment we get to learn what the little bundle of joy is for you Mikki and Seb?" Jeremy questioned, nodding to the present in his brother's hands.

"It is," Seb nodded, anxious himself as when they went to find out, they wanted to keep it under wraps for this moment, so when they did tear it open they would not only know the sex of their baby but the name as they had settled on names early in the pregnancy.

"You ready?" Mikki asked her husband, she is nervous about learning if she is having a boy or girl. The nerves starting to get the best of her. "You positive, you can't just tell us?" She asked looking at Onyx.

"Like I told you, I didn't look, or peak, I have no clue what name or sex is in that book. My friend at the publishing house, kept it hush from me, going as far as wrapping the book to keep it all a secret.

"In the dark like the rest of us, so if you're ready, I am," Seb told Mikki.

"So are the rest of us and not only that we would like to open the rest of our presents as well," Jeremy tossed out, getting a behave look from his wife.

Seb rolled his eyes at his brother and together with his wife they started to tear the wrapping paper off the book. Xander and The Magic Lamp. She let them celebrate the gender of their baby, looking over at Clint and Melody.

"Thanks for this, but you didn't have to since you are there almost every night," he chuckled.

"You're welcome, and I'm not there every night and none of you guys can tell the story right," she laughed heading to the kitchen to help Jeff, getting sidetracked hearing the knock on the door.

"What are you doing here?" She asked with a sigh seeing her ex standing in the hall. Questions of how he got into the apartment complex didn't come to mind, not when faced with the one guy you just don't want to see.

"To talk," he answered. "Mind if I come in?" He asked.

"She might not mind, but this being my place, I mind," Jeff answered coming to stand behind his sister. "Whatever you have to say, you can say right where you are," he said, not backing down. He wasn't about to let him hurt his sister all over again.

"I made a mistake. I thought us going our separate ways was for the best, turns out I was wrong," he started to say.

"Save it," Jeff cut him off.

Onyx turned around, giving her brother a push backwards. "I can handle this and I won't be making a mistake with what I have to say, you can go," she assured her brother, waiting for him to be back in the kitchen before turning around to face her ex. "I don't want to hear empty promises from you, I really don't want to hear anything you have to say. You hurt me, you broke me and I won't let you do that again. Besides I've moved on, not only are you too late to convince me I am better off with you, but you're just late, period," she told him.

"But we were good, together," he pleaded.

"Key word there is were, and now I am way better off without you. You broke me and you don't get to be the one to fix me. I fixed myself, I picked myself up and you don't get to come back and mess that all up again," she stated. "Have a good life," she finished, shutting the door.

"You're really over him?" Jeff asked, worried about his sister.

"I am," she smiled, looking from her brother to meeting the eyes of the one man she wanted to be with.

"Okay," Jeff nodded. "Why don't you go enjoy yourself," he urged her.

"Don't," Courtney stated with a grin. "We have dinner covered," she assured her sister-in-law. "Make him yours," she winked. Onyx rolled her eyes, wondering why she ever told her friends anything. She wandered into the living room, stepping over a couple of toys that had been opened to keep the kids out of the presents until after dinner.

Before she could find herself on the couch, she found herself on Clint's lap, when he gently pulled her down by her wrist. She turned to smile at him, while he captured her lips in a soft kiss. "Hello to you," she smiled.

"Now should we have seen this coming?" Mikki questioned hiding a smile.

"I want to say yes and no," Dylan said. "It is Onyx after all and nothing she does we can see coming," he teased.

"Unless you're her brother," Jeff chimed in from the kitchen.

"You do know you don't count as his gift, right?" Jeremy remarked. Onyx rolled her eyes, leaning her head on Clint's shoulder. "Because you'd be selling yourself short," he tacked on. "She's not an easy one to love, just ask Jeff," he smirked.

"You know, I have come to find out that she is very difficult to love," he agreed, kissing the top of her head. "I wouldn't have her any other way," he smiled against her hair, pulling her back into him.

"Actually Jeremy, I am not selling myself short," she stated, looking from Jeremy to Clint. "In return for my love, I have his," she smiled, stealing a kiss from him. Not to mention the love of his little girl and the love she felt for Melody.

"Mama," Melody said, running to Onyx, holding her hands up. The rest of the apartment growing quiet.

"What, sweetie?" Onyx asked, picking the little girl up and setting her on her lap.

"Read," she said, taking the book from the end table. Onyx kissed Melody's head, opening the book up to start reading to the little girl.

Finding a new boyfriend, one that had a little girl wasn't ideal nor what she had been looking for a month ago, but there wasn't a single thing she would do to change the man she had quickly but effortless fell in love with along with his daughter.


End file.
